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"You know, I would've liked to hear from you yourself that you were still alive."
Braeden whirled around, hand reaching towards the knife strapped to her thigh. She relaxed when she saw Marin Morrell standing in the doorway of the warehouse where she was storing her things, and crossed her arms instead. "Well, hello to you too, Marin."
Marin didn't smile. "I was worried, Braeden. I thought Deucalion killed you."
"He tried," Braeden said with a short laugh, the scars on her neck rippling as she did so. She was sure Marin needed no further explanation. "I'm sorry, I didn't know…"
"That I'd care?" Marin asked, eyebrows raised. "Of course I did, Braeden. I do."
Braeden looked down, drumming her fingers on the table for the lack of anything else to do. "I'm sorry," she said again but more softly. "I had to stay away from Beacon Hills until I could be sure the Alpha Pack was gone, in case he wanted to finish the job." She bit her lip as soon as she said that. Marin said she was happy to see her alive, but would she be angry that Braeden had never really finished her own job?
Marin's eyebrows raised higher. "Oh, don’t tell me you've been avoiding me for the entire time you've been back here because you thought you failed, Braeden!" she exclaimed.
Braeden shrugged. "I didn't 'think' I failed, I know I did." Saying those words stung, but she'd never been able to be anything but honest with Marin.
Marin sighed. "Didn't you rescue Isaac? He survived because of you, and as a result was able to get Boyd and Cora rescued before they would have been killed."
"I couldn't warn Scott in time," Braeden replied, confused. What was Marin trying to do, exactly? Drum up her self esteem, convince her that the job had actually been a success?
"It worked out well enough in the end," Marin said. "My brother was able to support him when he needed it. And if you remember, I actually didn't pay you for that part."
Braeden laughed a little. "Well, if you're going to be so insistent on telling me I didn't fail, then should I ask for payment for that too?" Then she thought for a moment. "I'm guessing it was your brother who told you I was around, right? In Beacon Hills, and alive?"
Marin raised her eyebrows again. "What, you don’t think I'm fully capable of finding that out on my own, Braeden? I didn't need Alan to tell me. And I'll gladly pay you if you want - I would have immediately, of course, if I hadn't thought you were dead then."
"But he did tell you," Braeden said. "Right?" She didn't focus on the payment thing - she wasn't really sure whether she wanted to agree with Marin or not about her deserving the money.
Marin tilted her head. "What do you mean? I didn't say that."
"You're being evasive, Marin," said Braeden with a sigh. "Why? I'm sure you would have found it out eventually, it's not a big -"
"I did figure it out," interrupted Marin. "I figured out you were alive weeks ago, Braeden. During the whole Benefactor business. You weren't exactly lying low, you know."
Braeden's brow furrowed in confusion. "But you didn't approach me until now? Until… Deaton told you?"
Marin sighed. "When he told me I figured it was time - maybe you'd want to see me, even. I…" she trailed off.
"You meant what you said, when you came in," Braeden said in realization. "You wanted to see if I would come to you and tell you myself."
"When do I ever say things I don't mean?" Marin asked, voice intentionally casual.
"Marin…" Braeden said, unsure of how to express what she was thinking. How to properly apologize.
With hesitation, she strode over to where Marin was standing. Reaching down to take Marin's hand, she looked into the other woman's deep brown eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
Marin turned away a little, but didn't let go of Braeden's hand. "It's okay," she said. "I understand."
"I should have taken this more seriously," Braeden admitted. "Taken… us more seriously."
"It's okay," said Marin again. She turned back to face Braeden. Her free hand moved up towards Braeden's face, but just as her fingers brushed Braeden's cheek, she pulled away. "You - you're with Derek now, I-"
"Not the way you think," Braeden said quickly. "He's left now, and he doesn't want me to just wait around in Beacon Hills for when - or if- he comes back."
"You broke up?" Marin asked, surprise evident in her facial expression. That, more than anything else, let Braeden know she was forgiven, if Marin was showing her emotions openly with her again.
"We agreed on an open long-distance relationship," Braeden said. She wished she could just say yes, they had broken up, but she had to clarify. In effect, she was as unattached as she would be if she were single, but if Marin felt uncomfortable with that at all then she had to be straightforward with her.
"So, then for us, that means…" Marin trailed off again, but her tone made it clear that this time it wasn't out of discomfort, but rather the desire for Braeden to finish.
"Whatever you want us to be," Braeden said, voice lowering again to a whisper. She leaned forward slightly, giving Marin plenty of space if she decided to turn away.
She didn't.
As Marin seized her by the hips and pulled her into a passionate kiss, Braeden let her hands wander. Up Marin's neck, down her side, trailing through her hair, anything just to map her body again.
"Do - do you want to go somewhere else?" gasped Braeden as she broke away. Marin lips trailed down to her collarbone and her breath hitched.
"My place?" she asked in a low voice.
Braeden nodded quickly. "Should - should we take my motorbike? Or did you drive?"
Marin continued to kiss her neck for several moments before replying. "Your bike." She looked up then and Braeden was awestruck for a moment at the affection in her eyes. "I don't want to have to let go of you for a second."
Braeden smiled, and led the way to where she parked the motorcycle. "Hold on tight, then."
Marin did.